progress so far
- Thread starter tankist
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Jim, I have the EXACT locomotive that was asked about...the little ATSF steam loco...i got a about a decade ago at a yard sale along with another locomotive...so i took apart the ATSF one and there are NO markings what so ever on the entire thing to indicate who made it...not even a location as to where it was made. Now however, the other locomotive is a little bigger, its another 0-4-0 but the boiler is like a "normal" steam loco shape...its road number is 3179 and it says it was made in Macao...but theres not railroad markings or name anywhere on it...any ideas? ill see if i can upload a pic of it...
-Nate
haha ahhh my bad..i knew it didnt sound right, the way i was identifying them...then again im not to good at that kinda stuff haha...uhh but yea the 0-4-0 one that i have never came with a tender...but you know whats weird...you have where its made spelt "Macau" with a "u" and thats right, becuase that is the spelling of the city...but on the bottom of mine, its spelt "Macao" with an "o" instead of a "u"? Whats with that? haha
and how uncommon is the Lionel one? And the other is made by Marx i believe..or is that still Lionel? the bottom of the tender on the 2nd one says "Made in the United States" in a circle then in the middle it says MAR..sooo now im confused haha
hmmm nevermind...i guess its spelt two different ways? i googled it and apparently Macao with the "o" is the english spelling...i guess..hah
ahhh i see...thats what i thought haha.
..but yea my dad said it was a Marx, so im just gonna put the peices together (the markings and my dad being the buyer) and say thats what it is. and yea i totally agree with the lack of details comment...its a very very bland looking model, and the added on wheel set on the Lionel model...both of them still run tho, and smoke..i ran them not too long ago.
thanks for the info Jim
Dudes. I think some of you are missing the finer details of that little 0-4-0. It's a dockside tank engine switcher. I've seen Bachmann, Lifelike and Mantua catalogs with them, and Tyco and Bowser also made them.
It's not missing a tender. It has a coal bunker on the back of the cab, so it doesn't need a tender.
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johnflitz3000
John F Litz
Those rock formations are incredable,I am new in the hobby so getting a view of your handy work is fascinating to me. Keep up the great work and I'll be taken notes.
highroller
Member
Nice layout, I really like your scenery !
tankist
Active Member
ok so here is the update 
you might be wondering what this has to do with model railroading. well, that' a prerequisite project that has to be complete before i can mess with my layout again. you can't lay rail before you glue the cork and you can't do any MRR stuff before you do the kitchen.
its been crazy 3 weeks. logistics are not simple, especially with 14 month old running around. after seeing bare walls it is quite satisfying view.
even though all the appliances are installed and working (besides fridge that is still in the store, we can't make our mind) and water is running there is still bunch of small stuff to touch up and finish up here and there. annoying. and then there will be rest of house garage cleanup project. hopefully soon
and to add to this all i received a gift of 5 boxes filled with railroading goodness. older bachmann and AHM (and couple athrean items). not high end and not in the best shape but i can't wait to unwrap it.
you might be wondering what this has to do with model railroading. well, that' a prerequisite project that has to be complete before i can mess with my layout again. you can't lay rail before you glue the cork and you can't do any MRR stuff before you do the kitchen.
its been crazy 3 weeks. logistics are not simple, especially with 14 month old running around. after seeing bare walls it is quite satisfying view.
even though all the appliances are installed and working (besides fridge that is still in the store, we can't make our mind) and water is running there is still bunch of small stuff to touch up and finish up here and there. annoying. and then there will be rest of house garage cleanup project. hopefully soon
and to add to this all i received a gift of 5 boxes filled with railroading goodness. older bachmann and AHM (and couple athrean items). not high end and not in the best shape but i can't wait to unwrap it.
Anton, nice looking remodel, even if it is a kitchen. I went though that plus having hardwood laid down in the living room and family room at the same time aboout 10 years ago when I still lived in California. I'd rather poke my eyes out with a fork than go through that again - and I didn't a fourteen month old running around. 
I went though that plus having hardwood laid down in the living room and family room at the same time aboout 10 years ago when I still lived in California. I'd rather poke my eyes out with a fork than go through that again - and I didn't a fourteen month old running around.
tankist
Active Member
well , i REALLY didn't want to open that can of worms myself either but when cabinet doors literraly start falling off wife tend to become somewhat naggy. i knew what i'm in for, "wow, i really don't want to shoot my own foot, but i have to! noooo!!! "
in either case it is almost over, our fridge will be delivered on saturday.
oh man do i hate to clean! evning wasn't wasted and as a reward i can walk in my garage again!!!
inventoried the gift i got.
got couple bridge sets with risers, AHM trestle set, bunch of little detail parts, power poles signals etc. and almost destroyed seven-eleven store.
the engines.
athrean SF SD9 and GP50, BN GP50, and some AHM+tyco (seems).
who makes that qutie ATSF steamer? is it bachmann?
cars. couplers and some wheels missing, oh well.
some cars by ROCO.
seems like hoper has operational bottom , errr, unload hatches (???). what is this silver "pipe" car?
and a pile of powerpacks, that twinpower going to get utilized soon
books. started reading the "realistic operations" book - wow! must have for any modeler. highly highly recommended.
the atlas layout book had some hand drawings my friend made, i guess now i know how plans were made before anyrail software
in either case it is almost over, our fridge will be delivered on saturday.
oh man do i hate to clean! evning wasn't wasted and as a reward i can walk in my garage again!!!
inventoried the gift i got.
got couple bridge sets with risers, AHM trestle set, bunch of little detail parts, power poles signals etc. and almost destroyed seven-eleven store.
the engines.
athrean SF SD9 and GP50, BN GP50, and some AHM+tyco (seems).
who makes that qutie ATSF steamer? is it bachmann?
cars. couplers and some wheels missing, oh well.
some cars by ROCO.
seems like hoper has operational bottom , errr, unload hatches (???). what is this silver "pipe" car?
and a pile of powerpacks, that twinpower going to get utilized soon
books. started reading the "realistic operations" book - wow! must have for any modeler. highly highly recommended.
the atlas layout book had some hand drawings my friend made, i guess now i know how plans were made before anyrail software
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Yard_Duty
Member
Not a bad score at all. If I'm not sadly mistaken, The 0-4-0 is a life-like unit from the late 80's or so. As is the chessie GP38. I received a JC Penney "wishbook" life-like set for christmas as a kid which contained these two engines, in an oval-over-figure eight layout kit, complete with trees, building kits, tressles, and, wait for it, ....The 4X8 "grass mat"!!! HA!
That Docksider was made by a variety of companies including Tyco, Bachmann, Life-Like, and AHM. You'd have to pop off the shell to check the motor if there are no markings on the underside. If it only says "Made in Yugoslavia" on the bottom, it's an AHM.
The car with the silver tanks is a helium car. It was actually a very rare car in real life service but, for some reason, caught the fancy of model railroaders. They have been made in almost every scale by AHM, Ambroid, and Roco, for Atlas, among others. They were originally all built for the Navy to refuel blimps. In the mid 50's the Navy was mostly out of the lighter than air business and the remaining cars were split up between the Bureau of mines and the Atomic Energy Commision. The AEC used helium in some experimental reactors and the Bureau of Mines used a helium/oxygen mixture for self contained breathing apparatus for mine rescue teams. The Bureau of Mines cars lasted the longest, with some in service until the mid-90's but most of the approximately 300 cars ever built were scrapped after the Navy got out of the blimp business in 1962. A few have been preserved in museums but there are none in active service now.
The car with the silver tanks is a helium car. It was actually a very rare car in real life service but, for some reason, caught the fancy of model railroaders. They have been made in almost every scale by AHM, Ambroid, and Roco, for Atlas, among others. They were originally all built for the Navy to refuel blimps. In the mid 50's the Navy was mostly out of the lighter than air business and the remaining cars were split up between the Bureau of mines and the Atomic Energy Commision. The AEC used helium in some experimental reactors and the Bureau of Mines used a helium/oxygen mixture for self contained breathing apparatus for mine rescue teams. The Bureau of Mines cars lasted the longest, with some in service until the mid-90's but most of the approximately 300 cars ever built were scrapped after the Navy got out of the blimp business in 1962. A few have been preserved in museums but there are none in active service now.
nateL
Engineer
Jim, I have the EXACT locomotive that was asked about...the little ATSF steam loco...i got a about a decade ago at a yard sale along with another locomotive...so i took apart the ATSF one and there are NO markings what so ever on the entire thing to indicate who made it...not even a location as to where it was made. Now however, the other locomotive is a little bigger, its another 0-4-0 but the boiler is like a "normal" steam loco shape...its road number is 3179 and it says it was made in Macao...but theres not railroad markings or name anywhere on it...any ideas? ill see if i can upload a pic of it...
-Nate
Nate, first, let's get our Whyte's steam engine classifications right. You count the unpowered whels at the front on both sides first, the driven wheels on both sides, and the any unpowered trailing wheels on both sides to come up with the correct classification. Thus, you have an 0-4-0, a really weird looking Lionel 2-6-4, and a Lionel 2-4-2. Both the Lionel's have wheel arrangements that were uncommon, especially in modern steam. The 0-4-0 is a "normal" locomotive that would need a tender filled with coal to run. Does it actually say "Made in Macau"? If so, it's some variant of Tyco Shifter, lacking the tender, as shown in this photo:
Tyco had some production facilities in Macau during the 1970's when it was a territory, not far from Hong Kong, that was occupied by Portugal. It's now back under Chinese control and they make all their money from gambling, not from making toy trains.
Tyco had some production facilities in Macau during the 1970's when it was a territory, not far from Hong Kong, that was occupied by Portugal. It's now back under Chinese control and they make all their money from gambling, not from making toy trains.
nateL
Engineer
Nate, first, let's get our Whyte's steam engine classifications right. You count the unpowered whels at the front on both sides first, the driven wheels on both sides, and the any unpowered trailing wheels on both sides to come up with the correct classification. Thus, you have an 0-4-0, a really weird looking Lionel 2-6-4, and a Lionel 2-4-2. Both the Lionel's have wheel arrangements that were uncommon, especially in modern steam. The 0-4-0 is a "normal" locomotive that would need a tender filled with coal to run. Does it actually say "Made in Macau"? If so, it's some variant of Tyco Shifter, lacking the tender, as shown in this photo:
Tyco had some production facilities in Macau during the 1970's when it was a territory, not far from Hong Kong, that was occupied by Portugal. It's now back under Chinese control and they make all their money from gambling, not from making toy trains.
haha ahhh my bad..i knew it didnt sound right, the way i was identifying them...then again im not to good at that kinda stuff haha...uhh but yea the 0-4-0 one that i have never came with a tender...but you know whats weird...you have where its made spelt "Macau" with a "u" and thats right, becuase that is the spelling of the city...but on the bottom of mine, its spelt "Macao" with an "o" instead of a "u"? Whats with that? haha
and how uncommon is the Lionel one? And the other is made by Marx i believe..or is that still Lionel? the bottom of the tender on the 2nd one says "Made in the United States" in a circle then in the middle it says MAR..sooo now im confused haha
nateL
Engineer
Nate, first, let's get our Whyte's steam engine classifications right. You count the unpowered whels at the front on both sides first, the driven wheels on both sides, and the any unpowered trailing wheels on both sides to come up with the correct classification. Thus, you have an 0-4-0, a really weird looking Lionel 2-6-4, and a Lionel 2-4-2. Both the Lionel's have wheel arrangements that were uncommon, especially in modern steam. The 0-4-0 is a "normal" locomotive that would need a tender filled with coal to run. Does it actually say "Made in Macau"? If so, it's some variant of Tyco Shifter, lacking the tender, as shown in this photo:
Tyco had some production facilities in Macau during the 1970's when it was a territory, not far from Hong Kong, that was occupied by Portugal. It's now back under Chinese control and they make all their money from gambling, not from making toy trains.
hmmm nevermind...i guess its spelt two different ways? i googled it and apparently Macao with the "o" is the english spelling...i guess..hah
Nate, correct, Macau is actually the Portuguese spelling and Macao is the English transliteration. Both the same place.
In looking at the pictures again. the last pictiure of the 2-4-2 is probably a Marx, due to the pathetic lack of details and poorly modeled valve gear. The Lionel engine looks like someone added a much too large set of trailing wheels to a 2-6-2, which was a common Lionel engine. Whatever collector value it had has been ruined by that modification.
In looking at the pictures again. the last pictiure of the 2-4-2 is probably a Marx, due to the pathetic lack of details and poorly modeled valve gear. The Lionel engine looks like someone added a much too large set of trailing wheels to a 2-6-2, which was a common Lionel engine. Whatever collector value it had has been ruined by that modification.
nateL
Engineer
ahhh i see...thats what i thought haha.
..but yea my dad said it was a Marx, so im just gonna put the peices together (the markings and my dad being the buyer) and say thats what it is. and yea i totally agree with the lack of details comment...its a very very bland looking model, and the added on wheel set on the Lionel model...both of them still run tho, and smoke..i ran them not too long ago.
thanks for the info Jim
DakotaLove39
Always Improvising
athrean SF SD9 and GP50, BN GP50, and some AHM+tyco (seems).
who makes that qutie ATSF steamer? is it bachmann?
Dudes. I think some of you are missing the finer details of that little 0-4-0. It's a dockside tank engine switcher. I've seen Bachmann, Lifelike and Mantua catalogs with them, and Tyco and Bowser also made them.
It's not missing a tender. It has a coal bunker on the back of the cab, so it doesn't need a tender.
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DakotaLove39
Always Improvising
Ah. Curses on my ignorance.
nateL
Engineer
tankist
Active Member
an update
worked on track work mostly. finished migration to peco turnouts (all 9 so far, yey!). dsided i will have switch machines on all of them. got 4 already, waiting on 5 more + ordered some micro switches. will use these for independent turnout position indication. as soon as the machines are here it will be time to remove rail and "dig" acces holes again. what i really like about peco+peco motor combination is the fact manual override is still perfectly possible. soldered another power lead so right now both mainline and passing siding are on no matter the position of power routing pecos.
worked on electrifying those bridges. i want them to remain removable. attached contactor strips to the wood planks, will attach the spring clips to bridge bases as soon as i have drill long enough to get all the way underneath the base plywood.
oh and cut, nailed/glued, stained and coated with poli the plywood strips on the sides of the table. what a difference this small detail made
base for new lower add-on section shown with turnout leading to the future branch (no foam for now), temporary shelf for the cabs ("running" both DC and DCC). and the cat again.
i can't do anything about it, she just loves to hang out there while i'm in the garage.
crossover with peco medium radius turnouts . and a cement dealer/storage (probably) spur. as much as i don't like the resulting S from inner i don't see a way to avoid it
doesn't look pretty but at least it goes through without derailing.
view at the new section base and the lazy cat (again).
view of the descent route and unknown yet industry spur
worked on track work mostly. finished migration to peco turnouts (all 9 so far, yey!). dsided i will have switch machines on all of them. got 4 already, waiting on 5 more + ordered some micro switches. will use these for independent turnout position indication. as soon as the machines are here it will be time to remove rail and "dig" acces holes again. what i really like about peco+peco motor combination is the fact manual override is still perfectly possible. soldered another power lead so right now both mainline and passing siding are on no matter the position of power routing pecos.
worked on electrifying those bridges. i want them to remain removable. attached contactor strips to the wood planks, will attach the spring clips to bridge bases as soon as i have drill long enough to get all the way underneath the base plywood.
oh and cut, nailed/glued, stained and coated with poli the plywood strips on the sides of the table. what a difference this small detail made
base for new lower add-on section shown with turnout leading to the future branch (no foam for now), temporary shelf for the cabs ("running" both DC and DCC). and the cat again.
i can't do anything about it, she just loves to hang out there while i'm in the garage.
crossover with peco medium radius turnouts . and a cement dealer/storage (probably) spur. as much as i don't like the resulting S from inner i don't see a way to avoid it
doesn't look pretty but at least it goes through without derailing.
view at the new section base and the lazy cat (again).
view of the descent route and unknown yet industry spur
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